Bad Touch's 'Kiss the Sky' - Album Review

It is funny how sometimes, after not really ever clicking with you previously, a band can suddenly just hit you and make you realise how much that you had been missing out previously. This is certainly the case for me and the Norfolk-based five-piece Bad Touch - a bluesy hard rock act who have been relentless bringing their up-tempo and feel-good sound to the world for the best part of the last decade. I first came across the band back in 2013 when they opened for The Quireboys in Falmouth, Cornwall. The band did not really grab me on the night, but it seemed that I was destined to keep coming across them over the years. Further support slots with both The Answer and Skid Row did little to change my mind; but it was finally changed in 2018 when the band brought their tour in support of their third album, 2018's Shake a Leg, down to Livewire in Saltash, Cornwall. Livewire is a great youth club that I used to visit regularly as a teenager, and its main focus is around music and encouraging young people to learn instruments, form bands, and play live. Part of the building also houses a live music venue, which has hosted many local bands over the years - but also shows by well-established names including The Damned, Funeral for a Friend, and The Quireboys. The Shake a Leg tour was extensive and, clearly wanting to 'break the Cornish market', Bad Touch rocked up to Livewire. In truth however, I bought a ticket mainly to see the support act, former Heaven's Basement frontman Aaron Buchanan, but I am rarely one to leave a gig early so stuck around to give Bad Touch another go. Almost from the off, I was impressed. Whatever had been missing for me previously in Bad Touch's sound was instantly there - and I really enjoyed the band's lengthy set that included a good selection of material from all three of their albums. I soon picked up the band's catalogue, and have become something of a big fan - and even caught them live with The Quireboys again last year in Sheffield where the band delivered a short but powerful set. A new album was always going to cement my love of Bad Touch, so it was with excitement that I pre-ordered the band's fourth album Kiss the Sky when it was announced earlier in the year. I think one of the reasons that finally drew me to the band was the material on Shake a Leg, which in my opinion is much stronger than the songs found on the band's previous two albums. I have grown fond of the band's older albums now, but for me Shake a Leg is easily the best. I was hoping that Kiss the Sky would follow in Shake a Leg's footsteps, so I was pleased to hear when it dropped through my letterbox last month that lightning has indeed struck twice. A more diverse collection of songs and sounds than its predecessor, Kiss the Sky is still instantly recognisable as Bad Touch, as the five-piece have a very distinct strutting, almost funky, vibe that is not too often present in newer hard rock acts, but there is also some experimentation here. It might not be as immediate as Shake a Leg, but it is an album that rewards repeated listens as there is a lot to uncover within the album's thirteen songs.

Despite some of the experimentation to come, Kiss the Sky opens in familiar fashion with Come a Little Closer - an up-tempo, feel-good rocker that follows on nicely from the sound that dominated Shake a Leg. It is a quick-fire piece that is over in almost a blink of an eye, but the catchy chorus and strong bluesy riffing still manages to make a strong impact. Rumbling Hammond organ, courtesy of Bob Fridzema (King King), and the occasional slide guitar line recall the boogie rock end of The Quireboys' sound, which shows that those many support slots over the years have rubbed off somewhat, while frontman Stevie Westwood's powerful vocal display captures the overall vibe of the song perfectly. He is such a laid back character on stage, and that translates into his vocal style. He has power, but it all seems so effortless for him - with soul perfectly oozing from him, even during the band's more harder rocking moments. As an opening statement, Come a Little Closer really sets the tone for the album to come and showcases the band firing on all cylinders from the off. In contrast, I Get High showcases the funky end of the band somewhat. Rob Glendinning and Daniel Seekings lock in perfectly for a groovy and uplifting guitar riff, which essentially defines the whole song, while the chorus features the band's strong funk and soul influences perfectly. While Bad Touch are a hard rock band at heart, they have never been afraid to showcase other influences. R&B, funk, and soul are all present in the band's sound, and this album, perhaps more so than their previous efforts, really showcases this. The gospel-esque backing vocals during the song's chorus and Michael Bailey's busy bassline are just two examples here that push those influences to the fore, and they help to set Bad Touch apart from the other newer hard rock acts out there treading the boards. Let Go channels southern bluesy rock, with the more rocking end of The Allman Brothers Band being something of a touchstone here. Fridzema, who contributes keyboards on a session basis throughout the album, really boosts the song with his barroom piano melodies, while Seekings' tough bluesy guitar rhythms underpin everything with those southern states grooves. Despite all of these different influences on show, Bad Touch's songs never feel like a pastiche. Everything naturally comes together, and Let Go is a great example of this. The southern rock influence feels natural, helped by a great Glendinning guitar solo, and not a poor imitation. Those who prefer the harder end of the band's sound will love Strut, the album's lead single. It is based around a muscular bluesy riff that, despite its weight, contains a lot of groove, and there is plenty of opportunity throughout for lead work as Glendinning cuts loose occasionally with some tasteful licks. There is not as much of the funk and soul influences to be found here, although the chorus features some more subtle gospel-esque backing vocals that blend in perfectly with the organ, with the band instead looking back to their earlier albums and pushing their core blues-based sound back to the fore. It is a great hard rocking tune that will no doubt go down well when played live.

I've Got the Music in Me is a hard rocking cover of the Kiki Dee Band's 1974 hit, but the song's natural groove fits perfectly within Bad Touch's established sound. Those who are not familiar with the original version of the song would not assume that Bad Touch's version is a cover as it fits in perfectly with the sound established on the rest of the album; whereas those who know the original well will appreciate how Bad Touch have altered it slightly to fit in with their bluesy hard rock sound. This is certainly tougher than Dee's original, but the horn section and backing vocals used here really bring the original to mind. It is a great cover version, with the band simultaneously paying tribute to a great pop hit from the past while at the same time making it their own. Can You Save Me is the first slower number on the album, and it provides something of a respite after five up-tempo and hard rocking tunes. It is not a true ballad, but it certainly goes for a more introspective approach with low key verses and a laid back Westwood vocal display. Despite his smooth, cool demeanour, Westwood always manages to inject plenty of emotion into everything he sings. This song is a great example of his talents; as the verses showcase him taking a somewhat gentle approach to fit in with the clean guitar melodies, while the harder-hitting choruses see him upping the power to fit in perfectly with the song's natural crescendo. The album's title track follows and it is one of the overall highlights of the album for me. The album is strong front to back, but this is a particularly catchy tune - and it is also one of the hardest rocking numbers here. The main riff sounds a little like Black Stone Cherry at times, again recalling the southern rock feel from earlier in the album, but the main meat of the song sounds to me a little like early Whitesnake. The natural strut of both of those bands is present here, and a strong organ presence really helps to reinforce that old-school 1970s hard rock vibe. Bad Touch are never a heavy rock act, but they can rock out with the best of them when they want to - and this is one of the best examples of them really going for it. The chorus is ridiculously catchy and the groove is infectious, all of which help to make the song one of the album's real highlights. See You Again is almost the exact opposite, and goes for a much more heartfelt approach with delicate acoustic guitar chords and Fridzema's piano. One thing that makes this album stand out for me in comparison to the band's older work is the greater emphasis placed on keyboards this time. Their older albums have made use of them, but employing Fridzema to play all of the keyboards this time around has worked wonders - and I do wonder if the band would benefit from hiring a full-time keyboardist and taking this fuller sound further. Fridzema's playing makes songs such as this one really stand out, with his delicate piano perfectly offsetting the guitars and vocals. The gorgeous ballad was made for having this piano accompaniment, and it adds a depth that would harm the song if it was missing. Not to be outdone however, Glendinning's guitar solo is a thing of emotional beauty that caps off what is already a heartstrings tugging number. Before I Die gets back to the band's usual groovy hard sound, with a hypnotic riff featured throughout and a Hammond-drenched chorus. It is not the catchiest song on the album, so it is probably one of the few tracks here that never really makes a proper impact. It is an enjoyable number, but compared to the album's stand out moments it falls flat somewhat. It is good example of the band's older sound, but I think that Bad Touch have come on quite a way since then, meaning that it feels a little old-fashioned compared to much of the album.

Read All About It again revisits the band's southern rock influences with a strident hard rock riff and some busy bass playing. The groove this time however comes from the hard-hitting drumming of George Drewry, who I think is probably the band's unsung hero. Bad Touch are a true band however, and while Westwood and Glendinning often stand out more by default due to their vocals and solos respectively, Bad Touch is a band that is greater than the sum of its parts. The grooves and rhythms are a big part of their sound, and they come from Seekings' riffs, Bailey's snaking bass, and Drewry's rhythms. Everyone in this band locks together perfectly to allow the Bad Touch sound to really shine, and Read All About It is a great example of this togetherness. The grooves are infectious, and they are what really draws me to the band above all other things. Too Much of a Good Thing is similar too, but it is a bit of a harder rocking track that ups the pace somewhat and goes for the gospel-esque sound in a big way. The backing vocals are a big part of the song, and they fit in perfectly with the band's bluesy rock grooves. Fridzema's Hammond again really adds to the song, but the standout moment for me is Glendinning's lengthy guitar solo. He is a great guitar player but, as described above, Bad Touch are a band that always plays for the song. When he does launch into a solo it is always to benefit the song, and his playing really boosts Too Much of a Good Thing for me - and it makes it an infinitely better song as a result. Sun and the Moon is quite a dynamic piece, that switches back and forth between more laid back moments and hard rocking sections with some of the album's most potent bluesy riffing. The verses are very low key, with gentle guitar chords and Westwood's gentle vocals; but when Seekings' heavier riff kicks in the band go into overdrive. The Hammond once again makes a strong contribution, with that early Whitesnake vibe being revisited during the choruses. Fridzema even gets a chance to lay down a short, but potent, Hammond solo which is something new for the band, and another reason why they should, in my opinion, consider finding a full-time keyboardist to allow more of this instrumental interplay in the future. Kiss the Sky on the whole is a pretty rocking and groovy album, but it comes to a close on a gentle note with the delicate Something About Your Kiss. It is a largely acoustic-based number with a very low-fi production style that works really well to round out what is otherwise an expansive and big-sounding album. Bad Touch have often chosen to end their albums with ballads, and the trend seems to work well for them. This is probably their most atmospheric piece yet however, and it sounds quite different from their usual ballads. That is until the last portion of the track however when Drewry's drums crash in and Glendinning launches into a lengthy solo that lasts essentially until the song fades out while Westwood sings over the top of it. It is a powerful closing statement that builds from a swirling and delicate intro, and it showcases the confidence of the band in tackling something a bit out of the ordinary for them. Overall, Kiss the Sky is another great album from this young band who are really starting to make a name for themselves here in the UK now. With another lengthy tour planned for the UK next year, it seems that rock fans across the country really love what Bad Touch are about, and I hope that there is more like this to come from them in the future.

The album was released on 19th June 2020 via Marshall Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Strut.